If the dragons were true, how could the breathing of fire work?

Mark Lorch: In the fantastic land of Westeros George RR Martin in Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon, a spectacle of dragons breathable fire captivates his audience through a mixture of myth and fantasy. At least for me there is also scientific curiosity.

Pictures of dragons releasing the streams of flames in the modern series of the Dragon House made me think: if there were dragons, what real biological mechanisms and chemical reactions can utilize?

But first, a summary of chemistry. To delicate and maintain a flame, we need three elements; Fuel, oxidative – usually oxygen in the air – and a heat source to initiate and maintain combustion.

Let's start with fuel. Methane can be a candidate. Animals produce them during digestion. Pictures on the Westeros screen show that dragons are eager to eat sheep. However, our dragons powered by methane would have to have a diet and digestive system more similar to a cow to produce enough gas to burn the city.

There is also a problem with storing enough methane gas. A typical methane cylinder can be assessed for 150 pressure atmosphere, while even a detached intestine can only tolerate a bit above one atmosphere. Therefore, there are no biological grounds for Niemarów animals for storing high pressure gas.

A better option would be fluid. Ethanol can be an option. Perhaps our dragons keep the guts of fermenting yeast, or may have a metabolic system similar to a devil's puppy, which live in scorching springs in Nevada, the USA. In low oxygen conditions, these fish switch to the form of breathing, which produces ethanol.

However, storage is a problem again. Ethanol quickly passes through biological membranes, so keeping it in high concentrations and ready to arrange the “dracarys” signal (which translates into a “dragon fire” in the fictitious language of High Valyrian) would require non -Wellegal biology.

So, if we stick to explanations about at least one foot in biology in the real world, then my preferred option is something more based on oil. As he knows that anyone who accidentally set fire to the pan can be a source of roaring flames. There is a biological basis in the Fulmar match.

They produce energy -rich stomach oil, which they return to feed their chicks. The oil also serves as a deterrent. After a threat, Fulmar vomits sticky, smelly oil over predators. Fortunately, the seagulls have not yet evolved a way to ignite vomiting.

Flame feeding

Now that we have a source of fuel, pay attention to the oxidative. As with most fires, it will most likely be oxygen. However, the creation of the oil jet of burning oil on so scorching oil made of burning oil for so much oxygen will take more than oxygen. And it would have to be well mixed with fuel. The better the oxygen supply, the hotter the flame.

The dragon can draw on the chemistry used by the beetle bombardier. This insect has evolved tanks adapted to storage hydrogen peroxide (items that you can utilize to whiten hair). After a threat, the beetle pushes the hydrogen peroxide into the vestibule containing enzymes that quickly break down hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen.

This is an exothermic reaction that transfers energy to the environment, and in this case increases the temperature of the mixture to almost boiling. The reaction is so aggressive that it is sometimes used to drive rockets.

The raise in pressure caused by the rapid production of oxygen and boiling water forces a harmful mixture from the ventilation hole in the beetle's stomach towards its victim or threat.

If she is employed by a dragon, this reaction has several nice functions. This would create a high pressure needed to drive a stream of oil fuel, the exothermic reaction heats the oils, which makes them more ready for combustion, and most importantly, would produce oxygen that would drive the combustion reaction.

All required by the Dragon is a biological equivalent of a gas carburetor to mix oxygen oil and create an explosive mixture. As a bonus, an explosive mixture would probably create a miniature fog of oil drops, such as an aerosol, which would delicate up the better.

Spark

Finally, we need a spark to delicate a mixture. To this end, I suggest that the dragons have evolved an electric organ similar to that found in many fish, especially electric eels.

They can generate tiny pulses up to 600 volts, enough to create a spark on a tiny air gap. If these sparks unloaded through the channels at the back of the dragon's mouth, they could delicate a stream of oil and oxygen under high pressure.

Although we will never see a dragon releasing the flame stream outside the field of fiction, it is intriguing to consider learning for fantasy. So the next time you will witness the order of “Dracarys” Targaryen, think about the biology behind this magical hell.

Mark Lorch, professor of scientific communication and chemistry, University of Hull

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